“you are to bring out to your city gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing and stone them to death. ”
Deuteronomy 17:5 CSB
God is serious about fully removing sin. He does not allow a half hearted approach.
Lord, help me to be just as serious about removing sin and temptation from my own life. I want to follow You in every way!
“They waged war against Midian, as the Lord had commanded Moses, and killed every male…
The officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, approached Moses and told him, “Your servants have taken a census of the fighting men under our command, and not one of us is missing.”
Numbers 31:7, 48-49 CSB
The Mideanites had previously let the Israelites into sin including idolatry and sexual sin, causing a plague that killed 24,000 Israelites. This war was Devine justice and demonstrates the importance God places on holiness and His passion for protecting His people.
Incredibly, during this war, Israel suffers ZERO casualties while completely wiping out the other nation. This is Devine power on display. What a great God we serve!
Lord, help me to have my eyes opened when my actions are leading toward sin. Give me the same passion for holiness and righteousness that You have so that everything I do and say points to You!
“From that moment Pilate kept trying to release him.
But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!” When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s seat in a place called the Stone Pavement. They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?”
“We have no king but Caesar!” the chief priests answered.
Then he handed him over to be crucified. Then they took Jesus away.”
John 19:12-13, 15-16 CSB
It seems like everyone in the book of John except the religious leaders understands that Jesus is someone important, at least. Most people suspect that He is the Messiah. But the power hungry religious leaders are determined to get rid of Jesus. Even Pilate wanted to let Jesus go…but he was swayed by the intensity of the culture and especially the priests.
Lord, help me to stand for what is true and not be directed by the impulse of the culture I am in. Allow me to hold to my convictions if they were authored by You! Help me to love you more than pleasing the people around me!!!
“Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me? ””
John 18:10-11 CSB
I am sure Peter wasn’t aiming for the guys ear…Peter was ready to kill to protect Jesus. But this was Peter’s plan, not what God was asking him to do. Poor Peter is often ready to act on his own ideas…I’m thankful God included Peter in scripture, because it gives me someone to relate to.
Lord, help me to trust Your plans and be willing to wait for Your timing. Lord, I confess that my plans seem so logical, and Yours are often confusing! My plans get me closer to the goals I have, Your plans seem to lead in a different direction…yet they always lead to peace and contentment when I get to the end of the path.
Lord, build my trust in You, in Your plan and in Your love for me. If I know the destination is good…help me to trust you at the start and in the middle of the journey!
“Our law doesn’t judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?”
“You aren’t from Galilee too, are you?” they replied.“Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
John 7:51-52 CSB
The religious rulers were blinded by their expectations and preconceived ideas. They were so confident of their own correctness that they were not thinking clearly. They were willing to punish Jesus without a trial, because He was saying things that didn’t match their ideas…willing and even planing and peer pressuring each other to ignore the law which they claimed to perfectly protect.
When Nicodemus pushed back they gave him good instruction…do the research, find out what scripture says! They were confident of the answers, but were completely wrong…in fact Galilee is where the Messiah, the savior was supposed to come from. This highlighted the pride of the leaders because if they were truly doing their work well, they would have known…but instead they were just a big club enjoying their privilege…their station…their power.
It actually reminds me of politics today. “Christians” following blindly the republican dogma, not even knowing that much of what they stand for is directly opposed to what scripture teaches. We cannot align with any mainstream party because they both miss the calling of Christ.
Lord, help me to actually know what Your Word says and follow You rather than a person or a group of people who have/want power!
“The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
John 3:36 CSB
Lord, thank you for saving me! I love You and want to follow and obey You at every step. I need your power to keep my belief strong enough to do what You say. I am tempted to fall down in believing that You have the answers and think that my ideas are better than yours. When my belief fails, I disobey You. Strengthen my faith in You so that I can follow you in joy and peace!
“After making a whip out of cords, he drove everyone out of the temple with their sheep and oxen. He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. He told those who were selling doves, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!””
John 2:15-16 CSB
With the present day temple of God being my heart, this verse takes on new meaning. In what ways do I miss the point and begin to allow work, money or even fun take up residence in my heart? How has my heart begun to worship anything other than Jesus?
Lord, highlight those things for me so that I don’t end up missing You in worship. It is such a sweet experience to praise You and to sit in awe of what You have done in my life. I pray that my heart and mind would be constantly aware of all that You are doing around me and turn that to glorification of Your name!
“Better the poor person who lives with integrity than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.
The one who lives with integrity will be helped, but one who distorts right and wrong will suddenly fall.
One who rebukes a person will later find more favor than one who flatters with his tongue.
The one who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.”
Proverbs 28:6, 18, 23, 26 CSB
Integrity is such a valuable characteristic in humanity, and unfortunately it is rare! Sometimes it is easier to tell a friend that what they are doing is no big deal, even though it is obviously sin. It feels better in the moment to lie and have them like you…we often call that “being kind”…but God doesn’t distort the truth. We all have to decide if we will trust God or trust ourselves.
Lord, help me to trust You alone, speak truth in a loving way and have compassion for those who don’t walk in integrity.
Read the following imagining the seductive woman as the world’s philosophy:
“My child, obey my words, and treasure my commands. Keep my commands and live, and guard my instructions as you would the pupil of your eye. Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your relative. She will keep you from a forbidden woman, a wayward woman with her flattering talk.
At the window of my house I looked through my lattice. I saw among the inexperienced [you], I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking sense. Crossing the street near her corner, he strolled down the road to her house at twilight, in the evening, in the dark of the night. A woman [the world] came to meet him dressed like a prostitute, having a hidden agenda. She is loud and defiant; her feet do not stay at home. Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner [social media]. She grabs him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him, “I’ve made fellowship offerings; today I’ve fulfilled my vows [I am religious]. So I came out to meet you, to search for you, and I’ve found you. I’ve spread coverings on my bed — richly colored linen from Egypt. I’ve perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning. Let’s feast on each other’s love!
My husband isn’t home; he went on a long journey. He took a bag of silver with him and will come home at the time of the full moon.” She seduces him with her persistent pleading; she lures with her flattering talk. He follows her impulsively like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding toward a trap until an arrow pierces its liver, like a bird darting into a snare — he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.
Now, children, listen to me, and pay attention to the words from my mouth. Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways; don’t stray onto her paths. For she has brought many down to death; her victims are countless. Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.”
Proverbs 7:1-27 CSB
“Save with your right hand, and answer me, so that those you love may be rescued. Give us aid against the foe, for human help is worthless. With God we will perform valiantly; he will trample our foes.”
Psalms 60:5, 11-12 CSB
David was at war and felt that God was holding back. David recognizes that it truly is God which is needed to help. Anything less would just drag out the suffering…
Today I don’t have physical enemies but I do face this battle spiritually. Daily I am faced with temptation that I am at war with…it may just be laziness or even fighting against performance to define my value. Those seem silly because they are the opposite ends of the same spectrum, but the battle is real, and I must depend on God to bring me through with the healthy mindset. We all face similar challenges that can only be overcome by God!
Lord help me to turn to you as soon as I recognize the fight is starting. Allow me to recognize it early and not waste time fighting in my strength…it is just wasted energy because nothing can stand before You! We are so blessed to have your strength, power and support at every moment of every day! Thank You for loving me!
”I do not sit with the worthless or associate with hypocrites. I hate a crowd of evildoers, and I do not sit with the wicked.“
Psalms 26:4-5 CSB
I woke up this morning praying about my opportunity to tell my coworkers about Jesus. Most of the people I work with don’t know Christ so I have to he potential to live out my faith in an attractive way before them.
This verse also popped off the page for me because David is talking about the exact same thing from the opposite perspective. It is commonly said “show me the five people you spend the most time with and I will show you your future”. The idea is that we are transformed into the average of the people we spend the most time with. This is absolutely true.
That is why David is proclaiming so vehemently that he doesn’t spend time with evildoers, the wicked, worthless or hypocrites. He knows that if he does, he will end up like them…and those characteristics are the exact opposite of what God has called him to.
Lord, help me to choose my friends based on what I desire to become…Lead me to friendships that hold You in high esteem and honor You in every way! Open my eyes to recognize the people around me that pull me away from You. God allow me to interact with those who need You but not be influenced by them.
”You, Lord, will guard us; you will protect us from this generation forever. The wicked prowl all around, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.“
Psalms 12:7-8 CSB
This Psalm is talking about how all the people are holding down the believer. Then winds up with this confident statement of Gods faithfulness to care for them. The last line is very interesting, “what is worthless is exalted by the human race.“. This feels so real today…this happens everywhere I look, by everyone.
We no longer have to seek out sin…it finds us when we are least expecting it. When I was younger, some sins required planning and sneaking and knowing the right person to help you out…now it seems like you don’t have to sneak or plan or cajole and sin finds you. Our efforts no longer are invested in finding ways to sin, but much energy must be used to avoid it!
Lord, strengthen me to actively follow You. Give me the ability to choose right when sin is thrust in my path. You tell us that You will guard and protect us from this generation, and that is what we need! We need You Lord!!!
”I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous works. I will rejoice and boast about you; I will sing about your name, Most High. Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord.
The nations have fallen into the pit they made; their foot is caught in the net they have concealed. The Lord has made himself known; he has executed justice, snaring the wicked by the work of their hands.“
Psalms 9:1-2, 10, 15-16 CSB
Gods justice is on display in this passage which compares two sets of people: those who love God and the ones who do whatever seems best. Notice those are two different people with completely opposite ways of interpreting scripture. One listens to what God says and obeys it. The other knows what God wants but rejects it to do what sounds better to them…
The question I must ask daily: is there anything in my life that I am doing/saying/thinking that I would not do with Jesus physically in the same room? Or sometimes it is easier to ask: is there anything I do/say/think that I would be embarrassed to tell my pastor/grandmother/mother-in-law? These are helpful questions, because our own conscience easily becomes calloused when we constantly choose sin…it no longer bothers us, so we feel like it is ok.
I believe that is what the author is talking about in the second half of these verses. “They have fallen in a pit they made themselves”. It was all choices they willingly made which has now destroyed their lives.
God help me to see where I have fallen into this trap, where I am blind to how I have rejected You! I trust You and am so thankful for what You have done in my life. I don’t want to be anxious about Your justice, I want to rest in confidence knowing You have saved me from myself!
”The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; he cares for those who take refuge in him. But he will completely destroy your enemy with an overwhelming flood, and he will chase his enemies into darkness.
Look to the mountains — the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace. Celebrate your festivals, Judah; fulfill your vows. For the wicked one will never again march through you; he will be entirely wiped out.“
Nahum 1:7-8, 15 CSB
Nahum has a slightly easier message to Gods people: God will destroy your enemy and you will never have to worry about them again. Turn to God when things are tough and He will permanently crush our enemy!
Thankfully, we don’t have physical enemies anymore, our neighbors are pretty safe. Ephesians reminds us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces and even our own sinful desires. Thankfully God is the same God who promised to completely destroy our enemy…that is what I long for! Complete destruction of the temptation I face!
Not every temptation or battle has been eliminated, but many have! It is so much easier to walk with Jesus today than it was even a year ago. He is faithful to remove my sin, and help me hate the things that used to be such a draw. He is a faithful God, worthy of my praise and worship!
Lord, help me to cast my weakness in front of You so that you can fight for me. Remind me of Your ability to completely heal my desires and destroy my sin. Let me trust in Your ability, not my own!
